The present invention relates to electrical generators for converting the wave energy in the sea to electrical energy. In view of the increasing price of fossil fuels and the dangers to the environment caused by consumpton of such fuels, there has been a considerable interest in the development of electrical energy from the sea. It has been known that the motion of waves and currents could be used to drive generators but the practicality of such generators has been a problem. The present invention is designed to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and provide a commercially practical means of generating electrical energy from the waves of the sea.
In the prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,234 to Clark discloses as apparatus for generating electricity from waves including a liquid-tight chamber with a top opening, an anchoring mechanism and a mechanism for generating electrical current disposed within the chamber including a coil and movable magnet means. The invention appears to reside in the design of the chamber which is considerably different from the present invention and in the generating means which is similarly different.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,697,764 to Stanziola et al, the motion of waves is converted to energy in the form of compressed air which is stored in large containers and then used to drive turbine generators. The turbine generators are selectively driven by the stored energy which may be controlled to meet demand. The structure and operation of the apparatus differs considerably from the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,788 Richeson discloses an energy conversion system wherein pairs of buoyant opposed structures are affixed together by pivot means to form a bellows effect which actuates a turbine.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,200,255 to Masuda relates to an ocean wave electric generator which comprises a buoyant structure having at least one air pump chamber positioned in the structure which is actuated as the water rises and falls in the air pump chamber. The generator is particularly useful for buoys since it is claimed that storage batteries can be eliminated in such applications.
Vartianien U.S. Pat. No. 2,715,366 discloses a generating apparatus where a plurality of cylinders are mounted on a floating platform and include pistons therein which are driven by wave energy to produce a source of power.
The above are merely representative patents as found in the prior art and are not intended to be an all inclusive listing of such patents. Other patents may exist and be pertinent to the present disclosure since this is a quite active area of interest. The present invention, however, represents an improvement over the existing prior art of which applicant is aware since it proposes an inexpensive highly reliable means for generating electrical energy from waves. The advantages of such a system are quite obvious since such energy is replaceable and environmentally clean.